Senior Vice President, Robin Ingle, will be visiting Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies on Monday, January 26 to officially present the aquarium with a trophy that declares it the Number One Aquarium in the United States. Ingle will be joined at the media luncheon by Susan Whitaker, commissioner of tourism for the state of Tennessee.
The aquarium’s top ranking was determined based on traveler popularity, consumer ratings and TripAdvisor editors.
"This is such a great honor to be named as the top aquarium in the U.S. We are very proud especially since the results are based upon the reports from our guests, " said Steve File, general manager. "It’s good to know that so many of our visitors are willing to share their feelings and recommend us as a high quality family entertainment experience."
Since opening its doors in 2000, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, nestled at the gateway of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has hosted more than 10 million visitors. Billed as "America’s Most Fun Aquarium, " the aquarium is home to more than 10, 000 exotic sea creatures including 12-foot sharks in a world-class 1.4 million gallon aquarium. The majesty of the sea world is revealed through, what has called "the world’s best shark exhibit in a 345 foot long underwater aquarium tunnel" plus thrilling interactive exhibits offering visitors the opportunity to get up close and personal in recreated habitats. Regarded as an exceptional educational facility, the aquarium also provides various education programs for children of all ages.
"These aquariums offer wonderful learning experiences about animals and their habitats, and truly let travelers take a walk on the wild side, " said Michele Perry, vice president of global communications for TripAdvisor. "Ripley’s offers great family-friendly underwater attractions that are extremely popular among TripAdvisor.com travelers."
High resolution photos are available; Executive interviews can be arranged. If you are a member of the media and wish to join in the celebration, contact Dee Lundy at dee@lundypr.com or call 865-522-1573.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies (ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com/, the second most attended attraction in Tennessee, was Voted The Number One Aquarium in America by TripAdvisor.com and Forbes Traveler has named it one of America’s best aquariums. More than 100, 000 exotic sea creatures live in its 1.4 million gallons of water. The aquarium is known for its shark exhibit that features 12-foot sharks and one of the longest underwater tunnels in the world. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is part of the Ripley Entertainment Inc. family of worldwide entertainment facilities that includes another world class aquarium – Ripley’s Aquarium of Myrtle Beach, S.C. More than 13 million people visit Ripley’s 70-plus attractions in 13 countries each year. Ripley Entertainment Inc. is a division of the Jim Pattison Group, the third largest privately held company in Canada.
Contacts:
Karl Thomas, 865-257-7775, karlthomastn@gmail.com
Tim O’Brien, VP Communications, Ripley Entertainment, obrien@ripleys.com
615-646-7465 – office, 615-496-5949 – cell
See Also:
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Receives AZA Accreditation
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies Hits 10, 000, 000 in Attendance
